Outlook Message Headers

( See also: PictorialHowToViewHeaders )

By default, Outlook hides message headers.

Often it is necessary to view email headers to learn where a message actually came from. The "From:" line can contain anything the sender wants you to see. It might have nothing whatsoever to do with where the email actually came from. In contrast, a message's header lines usually list all of the mail systems that the message passed through on its way to you, including the address of the originating system. Headers can be forged, too, but not as easily as the From: line.

All but one of these instructions are for Outlook 2010 only, and perhaps for Outlook 2011. They do not apply to Outlook Web App. However, the right-mouse-button popup menu forwarding option is available only in Outlook Web App.

How to View Headers (3 different techniques for Outlook, one for Outlook Web App)

Outlook's "Message Options..." menu displays a message's header. There are several ways to get to the "Message Options..." window, but there doesn't seem to be a keyboard shortcut to access it.

Method A is the safest, since you don't have to open the message to see its headers.

1. Add "Message Options" to the "Quick Access Toolbar"
2. Open Message --> Tags --> "More Options"
3. Open Message --> File --> Properties
4. (OWA) Open Message --> select 3rd icon "Message Details"

A. Add "Message Options" to Outlook's "Quick Access Toolbar" (this only has to be done once).

See also: PictorialHowToViewHeaders

1. Double-Click on the Quick Access Toolbar's "Customize" icon. (It's almost invisible.)
2. Select the "More Commands..." menu item
3. Open the "Choose Commands From..." drop-down menu
   • Select the item "All Commands"
4. Scroll way down in the "Customize" menu
   • Select the item "Message Options..."
5. Select the central "Add >>>" button to add the item to the right-hand "Customize Quick Access Toolbar" pane
6. Select OK

Use Outlook's "Message Options" to view headers

1. Select (single-click highlight) the desired message. Do not open (double click) the message.
2. In the "Quick Access Toolbar", select the "Message Options..." icon, which opens the "Properties" popup window.
3. Scroll through the headers in the lower pane of the "Properties" popup window.

B. Open Message --> Tags --> "More Options" in Outlook

1. Open the message in its own window (double click on it)
2. In the Tags section of the ribbbon, select the "More Options" icon (It's the tiny icon at the lower right corner of the section.)
3. Scroll through the headers in the lower pane of the "Properties" popup window.

C. Open Message --> File --> Properties in Outlook

1. Open the message in its own window (double click on it)
2. Select the orange "File" tab at the upper left of the message window
3. Select the Properties box at the bottom of the main (right-hand) Info pane
4. Scroll through the headers in the lower pane of the "Properties" popup window.

D: (Outlook Web App) Open Message --> select 3rd icon "Message Details"

1. Open the message in its own window (double click on it)
   • Across the top should be the options "Reply" "Reply All" "Forward" and 9 pictorial icons
2. Select (single click on) the 3rd icon (Message Details) which looks like an open envelope with an illegible message in front of it.
   • A new window will open which contains, "Messaage Settings" and "Internet Mail Headers"

How to "Forward with Headers" (4 different techniques for Outlook, one for Outlook Web App )

To forward a message with its headers intact, use "Forward message as Attachment". Outlook has a keyboard shortcut for this. It also has several ways to add "Forward as attachment" to some of Outlook's single-click menus or ribbons.

When you report a scam, the recipient will need you to forward all of the message's headers. By default, Outlook does not forward headers. There are several different ways to forward messages as attachments, which includes their headers.

Four of these instructions are for Outlook 2010 only, and perhaps for Outlook 2011. They do not apply to Outlook Web App. However, the right-mouse-button popup menu forwarding option is available only in Outlook Web App.

1. The simplest: use Outlook's keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-F
2. "Outlook Web App" provides this option in its Right-Mouse-Button popup menu (but Outlook does not).
3. Configure Outlook to always forward messages as attachments. You can set this once and forget it.
4. Add "Forward as Attachment" to Outlook's main ribbon's "Quick-step" field.
5. Add "Forward as Attachment" to Outlook's "Quick Options Toolbar"

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A. The simplest: use Outlook's keyboard shortcut Ctrl-Alt-F to Forward as Attachment.

1. Select (highlight) the message you want to forward
2. Hold down the Ctrl and Alt keys simultaneously
3. Type the lower-case letter "f"

B. Use "Outlook Web App" to forward message headers

1. Use your favorite Web browser to access the Web page http://outlook.cornell.edu/
2. Right-Mouse-Button select the message you want to forward
3. In the popup menu, select the option "Forward As Attachment"

C. Configure Outlook to always forward messages as attachments

1. Select File
2. Select Options (in tiny print near the bottom of the File menu)
3. Select Mail (in left pane)
4. Scroll down to "Replies and Forwards" section
5. Open the "When forwarding a message" dropdown menu
6. Select "Attach original message"
7. Select OK

D. Add "Forward as Attachment" to the "Quick Step" section of Outlook's Home ribbon

1. Select Outlook's "Home" tab
2. Select Quick Steps' "Manage" icon (at lower right corner)
3. Select the New drop-down menu
4. Select Custom (at the bottom)
5. Open the "Choose an Action" drop-down menu
6. Scroll down to the "Respond" section
7. Select "Forward message as an attachment"
8. Click on Finish
9. Click on OK

E. Add "Forward as Attachment" to Outlook's "Quick Access Toolbar"

1. Double-Click on the Quick Access Toolbar's "Customize" icon. (It's almost invisible.)
2. Select the "More Commands..." menu item
3. Open the "Popular Commands" drop-down menu
   • Select the item "All Commands"
4. Scroll way down in the "Customize" menu
   • Select the item "Forward as Attachment"
5. Select the central "Add >>>" button to add the item to the right-hand "Customize Quick Access Toolbar" pane
6. Select OK

Use either Outlook's Quick Step option or its Quick Access option

1. Select (single-click highlight) the desired message. Do not open (double click) the message.
2. Click on the "Quick Step" icon labelled "Forward message..."
or
2. Click on the unlabelled "Quick Access" icon "Forward as Attachment"

-- SeldenBall - 2011-12-16